Hat block construction



Dec. 6, 1932. H, E GOU'GH 1,890,272

HAT BLOCK CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 30, 1950 Patented Dec. 6, 1932 -i UNiTED STATES 1 HARRY GOUGH, 0F OZONE PAB-K, NEW YORK HAT BLOCK CONSTRUCTION Application led October 30, 1930. Serial`I\Tp.v4`9f,122l.

This invention relates to hatblocks and in particular to a method of making one of the units of a hat block assembly which is moreV adaptable for the purpose and can bepro- 5 duced at much smaller cost.

A particular object of my'invention isto provide in ahat blockassembly a band block made in laminated single or plastic form so that it can be pressed to shape between the lo crown block and the brim .board or block so that the latter two fit together perfectly and theentire blocking form may be made upmOre-quiclrly and at a consequent lsaving in cost. l i 1 Heretofore in the constructionoi hat block assemblies, it has been the practice to cut the band block'out of a solid piecefof wood or other material and grind or carve it down until itconforms to the shape of one side of the crown blockand the shape on the opposite side of lthe brim board or block with the result that considerable time was necessary and carehad to be taken in the making of each band block to malreit tit Vbetween the crown and brimblock in connection with which it was to be used. y a

The object of myinvention is to make the band bloc-lr of a Vlaminated structure, the parts of which'are glued together and compressed lbetween the crown block and brim block to conform to the shape thereof.

My invention'contemplates the use also of the band block for use as a crown lifter or crown base when the brim block is not used in connection with the crown block in which event, one side of the band block may be 4f be further provided with cord grooves {or} readily blocking hats on the crown block. The band block may also be tlatl on both sides and due toits plastic or laminated form will be superior to the ordinary band block as it o will not warp and will conform exactly to the crown and brim. While I have not illus-g trated` it,- I contemplate the use of ay plastic element which ,may bein laminated form o r may be single and which maybe nailedaor; l

otherwise fastened down, steamed or dried intoshape. Y "Y I With-these and other objects in view,omy. invention comprises the construction, comt bination and arrangement of the various parts hereinafter describedfandlthen` -par-` ticularlypointed4 out in the appended claims. 'n In thedrawing: y Figurel is a view yinside elevation otra 4 hat block assembly, the band block of whichV is constructed in accorda-nce withmy invention. Y "1 l 'l Figure 2 is a plan viewfofrthe brim: board or block havingmounted thereon, theband block as illustrated inFigure 1,#the crown block being omitted `for thepurpose of illustrating the relative position of the band block on the brim block.

Figure 3 is a section taken onthe line 3-3 of Figure 2 and illustrates the shape in cross section ofthe band block.

Figure 4 illustrates the first step in the process of building up a laminated structure and the gluing of theparts together.

Figure 5 shows the second step in the process whichconsists in shaping the structure in a press or vise between the partsof the llat block or between suitable shapingzme'mers. l

Figure 6 is a view in elevation showing how the band block is used as a crown lifter or S5 base, the crown block being shown inconnection therewith, and x Y n i Y Figure 7 is a fragmentary View in section showing-how the laminated structure com'- prising the lband block maybe oi smaller diamete'rthanV the crown block to provide for the overlap' of the hat brim Yand the crown o'ortion1thereof.` jjj. Y' i Y Referring tothe drawing in detail, 5 indicates a: crown block which is usually-made V:trom solid wood, the lowerY or bottom surface ofwhich, as indicated by theinu-meral Gis shaped to conform to the style'of hat that is to be blocked -thereonf Thel numeral 7' indicates the'brim `board orblock upon Awhich is Y y shaped the brim of the hat and thisv member valso is made preferably of solid wood'towhich a high polish has been given and in which are provided the guide pins 8 which extend into suitable openings 9 provided in the crown block. The band block 10'is interposed between the crown block 5 and the brim block 7-and may be of any thickness'desired Y and of any shape either in longitudinal or 'The method of making the band block and l of shaping the same is theimportant yfeature Y of my invention and the first step in the process of makingV the band block is the building up of a series of thin, sheet-like members r7 made of wood or other Suitable material to form a laminated or vplastic structure 12, as

illustratedin Figure 4', theparts thereof being glued or steamed or nailed together.l 1 This 2O structure 12 is then placed between a crown block 5 and abrim block 7 the opposing edges y of which are of anydesired shape and the hat block is placed in a suitable vise 18 until themem'bers `5 and Vv' are drawn securelyv y against thevopposite faces ofthe band Vblock 10 so that Ythe sameis bent to the shape con- Y forming yto the Yfaces of the crown blockand before or afte'rftlie shaping of the laminated brim'block and the hat block is maintained in the vise until the band blockhas 'thoroughf ly "dried 4Vand *retainsk the shape conforming with the crown block and brim block in con- Y nectionwith which itisvto be. used.v Either structure 12 constituting the band block 10,

f the samev may be provided with the finger hole openings 14 and `dowel pin openings A15 so that it can be placed in proper position over i the pins 8 and can be readily handled through the finger hole openings 14. Y I

In adapting the laminated structure for use as a crownbase, thelsame may be first bent to Yshape between a crown block and a brim board orblock 'after which, as illustrat- Y ed'in Figure 6, it may be shavedV offflat on one side aspat surface.

16 so that it will rest onV a lat When the laminated stru'cture'is'tcl serve asa crown lifter vbetween the crown block y5 and the brim block 7 its diameter may be slightly decreased to vprovideroom for the bandofthe hat which, in the construction of hats of the usual type, forms a part of the v hat rim 17 over which is placed the crown of the hat 18 for blocking, or the brim band is sometimes-placed over the crown. l

The thickness ofthe band block 10 will depend upon howwide the band 19 of the hat y is to be. In shapingthe laminated structure, 1t' need not necessarily be placed between a crown block and a brim block but may be placedbetween anyftwo members that Vwill l give it a suitable shape 'for use between the lcrown and brim blocl It is evident that lI havev providedY a band block vwhichmay be of any particular shape Y in cross section, either longitudinally or transversely, may be of an" inverted saucer shape or as illustrated in Figure 1.; kAlso, the

Ylaminated member can be iiat on KJeither side vwhichris accomplished byrpressing the lam-r inated structure to any shape and then'cutting-for grinding either side fiat which struct-ure occurs when the band block is to be used as a base for a crown block only.

It is evident also that in the use of my'improved laminated band block, considerable Vlabor is saved infthat the solid band blocks are dispensed with and the time taken to i grind the surfacesthereof down Vto t bej tween the crown andbrim block is dispensed with. In my construction, it isl simplyneces-y sary to build up laminations 'or plastic mass to the required thickness,glue or mould them and then press them tothe desired shape',

either in a formv for the purpose or between the blocks in connection with which it is to be used and the band blocks may be pressed in any shape desired.

` My invention is not to Abe'restrictedto the i precise details of construction shown sincev various Vchanges Vand modifications maybe made therein without. departing froml the 2. The method Vof making of a hat block'assembly which consists'in building up an intermediate crown lifter structure and then shaping thersame under pressure Vbe,-V

tween shaping members.

- '3. The method of, making aunit hat" block assembly which consists in building up a laminatedstructure and .then'shaping the 'same under pressure to the shaped' surface of one of the members of a hat yblock assembly.

Signed at New Yorkin the county of New York andY State of New York this 215th day of Ju1y,A. D. i930.V i i HARRY E. GOUGH. [n s] ist 

